Joe Philbin says 'anything is possible' as trade deadline approaches

The NFL trade deadline is on Thursday and the Dolphins have one open spot on the roster

October 31, 2012|By Omar Kelly, Staff writer

DAVIE — The Miami Dolphins' 53-man roster has one vacancy but if you ask General Manager Jeff Ireland he'll joke as if the team doesn't need anymore players.

However, the NFL trade deadline is Thursday at 4 p.m., and it presents Ireland a significant opportunity and one of the last real windows to upgrade the roster.

To do so Ireland would have to make his third trade of the year seeing as how he shipped receiver Brandon Marshall to Chicago for two third-round picks, and cornerback Vontae Davis to Indianapolis for a second-rounder in the 2013 draft, and a conditional sixth.

Ireland is always willing to listen, especially if a team like the Kansas City (receiver Dwayne Bowe) or Tennessee (tight end Jared Cook) is willing to discount a disgruntled player with an expiring contract.

However, in Bowe's case, because he's playing on a franchise tag, his contract can't be extended. That means the team that acquires him would be paying the difference on his salary (about $4.5 million) to rent the Pro Bowl receiver for the second half of the season.

During his Monday radio show coach Joe Philbin speculated that the Dolphins wouldn't be active on the trade front, but on Wednesday his stance softened a bit.

"Well, anything is possible," Philbin said when asked about a Thursday trade.

Vontae Davis sidelined

Davis sprained his left knee in last Sunday's win over the Titans and the former Dolphins starter is expected to miss Sunday's game against his former team.

Before the injury Davis started five games for the Colts, contributing 19 tackles and one pass deflection. According to ProFootballFocus.com he has allowed 15 of 19 passes thrown his way to be completed, giving up 191 yards and two touchdowns.

"He's been outstanding, great since the first day he got here. Has been a model citizen," Colts interim coach Bruce Arians said about Davis. "We'll miss him."

Injury Update

It appears cornerback Richard Marshall will miss his fourth game of the season because of a lingering back issue. Before this injury Marshall had played in every NFL game during his six-year career….

Defensive lineman Tony McDaniel was sidelined by a right knee bruise he suffered against the Jets. McDaniel says the injury isn't serious….